Murder charges dismissed for accused Seattle axe attacker
SEATTLE - A King County judge has dismissed murder charges against a man accused of killing two homeless people with an axe in 2024, as he was found incompetent to stand trial.
Liam H. Kryger was the suspect in both brutal murders, with one happening near Seattle University and the other outside Seattle City Hall.
Details of fatal 2024 axe attacks
The backstory:
On Feb. 10, 2024, a man was beaten to death while sleeping in an alcove in the parking lot of the Seattle Men's Chorus. Then, 12 days later, 52-year-old Daravuth Van was killed while sleeping on the steps outside City Hall in the First Hill neighborhood.
The murder scene where Liam Kryger is accused of killing a homeless man with an axe on Feb. 22, 2026. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Investigators used surveillance footage from nearby businesses allegedly showing Kryger casing the area before swinging an axe down at Van. He also had a prior history of violent threats against his family.
Kryger was facing two charges of first-degree murder, but his defense raised concerns regarding his competency in 2025. Over the course of more than a year, Kryger underwent three separate rounds of competency restoration, but attempts were unsuccessful.
The court's dismissal does not mean Kryger will be released back onto the streets. Instead, he will likely be committed to Western State Hospital until his mental condition improves, and prosecutors can then refile murder charges.
Competency vs insanity
Prosecutors clarified that a finding of incompetency is not the same as a defendant pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Competency determines whether a defendant can understand ongoing court proceedings, while an insanity defense refers to the defendant's mental state at the time of the crime.
What's next:
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says they plan to refile first-degree murder charges if Kryger ever regains legal competency.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.